Life After The War
by snowdayanon
Summary: Snips from Spyro's and Cynder's life after the war, with a partial focus on Spyro's continued training. No drama, no fuss, just comfy.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is just a side project I did while taking a break from my primary writing projects, thought I'd post it somewhere. In all likelihood this is probably going to just be a one-off, but in the event that I do more, this should give enough setup for me to work with. Whatever it is though, anything I write is going to be just fluff and slice of life stuff with a focus on Spyro and Cynder. No story arc, no drama, no OC focus, and any OC's that are in are just to show there's other people in the world too.

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

A year had passed since the destruction of the world had been halted mid-cataclysm. All of the lands, fragmented and breaking apart, yet that act by one dragon not only stopped the disintegration of the world but even began the process of pulling it back together. Only a little more than half of the world came together at first, and the remaining scattered fragments were left suspended but safe. Many thought the world would never be the same, and indeed it may not, but by the will of one dragon, it would at least return to its original shape.

In the year after the war's end, the legendary purple dragon Spyro traveled to the ends of the land in every direction, calling upon his power to reign in each piece of the planet one at a time. Each was restored to its former place, and by the end of that first year, the world was whole once again. With every scar of the land stitched, it was hoped that perhaps the process of healing could officially begin, and given the time of peace that followed, it was a well-founded hope.

Warfang's significance before and during the war maintained in the time after, and it became a central location for the restabilization of the realms. Being such an important figure at the time, it was little surprise to anyone that Spyro chose to take up residence there, if for no other reason than to oversee the rebuilding of the city. In truth however, the guardians and city officials handled the affairs of such and Spyro only had a hand in the physical rebuilding, and considering that the city had a year's head start by the time he returned, there was little required of him.

For the time being, he lived in the Warfang temple where among also lived the guardians, some displaced by the war, and of course those who inhabited it prior to either's arrival. Much larger than the temple in the swamp, the Warfang temple was as great as a giant castle, not including the underground network of tunnels and caverns below, and as such it had no trouble supporting its current population and even remained quite spacious in the process. Of course, this went even moreso for him as both his status as purple dragon and direct friendship with the guardians meant his room would be near theirs, situated on the less crowded upper levels. And as for Cynder?

They were going steady. Through the past year, she followed him on his journey and assisted him at every step she could. Despite some officials' initial protesting that quickly silenced with some decidedly angry purple stares, she was readily accepted into the city and roomed next to Spyro. Though her acts in the war caused her presence to be controversial at minimum, she proved herself a pivotal figure and invaluable asset in the end days. It also helped that most who heard the title 'Terror of the Skies' knew only of the giant, cruel serpent rather than this significantly smaller and younger girl. Most really didn't even recognize her, and even acted surprised when she gave her name out.

For both, their basic needs were met as a form of thanks from the city, and their future duties played a much more passive role. Cynder's military experience made her an excellent advisor to the Warfang Guard, occasionally visiting the garrisons to oversee training and discuss logistics. Spyro on the other hand was relegated from being an active duty warrior and instead returned to training, not just to better his control of the elements but himself as a purple dragon. This also meant working to discover new elements, as the purple dragon was not limited to only the main four, as evident by his experience with time as well as convexity. Cynder's ability to use four entirely different elements further proved this, as did the existence of dragons who even had one of those four unorthodox elements as their own. His training aside, he spent some of his spare time among the city, doing odd-jobs for a little extra money but also for the joy of helping others.

Each of the guardians continued to offer training when possible for their respective elements, though they were stretched thin as it was between political affairs and also finding a new fire guardian. Though all three guardians participated in all three activities, there was a certain unspoken prioritization that occurred naturally between them. Cyril, with both experience and personality suitable, spent the most time of the three with politics. Terrador felt obligation towards finding a successor for Ignitus, and so took consideration of candidates to bring before the other two for discussion and possible training for guardianship. This meant that for Spyro, the guardian he spent the most time training with was Volteer, which worked out as the yellow dragon's intellectual inclination proved to work quite well in helping Spyro in studying elements. Of course, such was only true once the purple dragon managed to adjust to the lightning-fast lexicon of his trainer. As for training with fire, Spyro did this alone. Fire was natural, the blood of fire dragons ran through his veins, and the memory of Ignitus was all he needed to better himself in this.

That morning, Spyro roused himself awake, ready to put in the early training hours. With a big yawn, his body was slow to heed his will, but a good stretch with popping joints gave it some encouragement and he managed to pull to his feet. Stepping out to the balcony from his room, it was easy to see why he was so sluggish. A thick fog had rolled, bringing with it a chilly and moist air, the kind of combination that makes the body want to just curl up till the sun shines through. The sky still held the deep navy blue of the pre-dawn hours, and among the city one could barely pick out a few orange glows of torchlight, their light softened by all the layers of fog. It would be a good morning for a brisk workout.

Taking a satchel full of spirit gems with him, Spyro headed out and padded down the hall. As he entered the training room however, he found he wasn't the only dragon with the same idea. In the center stood a lone black dragon, stance low as three training dummies stood around him. His legs shook violently and breath labored to the point that the purple dragon could hear him from the entrance. Still yet, he held the power to strike, tearing one dummy in half and giving a full forced hind-kick to another, slamming it into the wall across the room. By the time he finished with the last, he finally dropped to his knees. Apparently he had already been at it for awhile.

As the black dragon noticed the purple, Spyro lowly chuckled, "You don't rest much, do you?"

A laugh returned to him as the black dragon shook his head. He was a good friend the purple dragon picked up from the past year, having offered hospitality and a place of rest to Spyro and now with the favor being returned, rest being a relative term in this case as both dragons were more familiar with war times. Stumbling back to his knees, the black dragon simply motioned that he was done, raising a front paw up and clenching it into a fist, a sign that he was still holding strong. Without a word, he left the training room, leaving the purple dragon to his own devices.

Making his way to the center of the room, he glanced around. It was much like its counterpart from the swamp temple in its design, bringing ripples of nostalgia. He wouldn't need any dummies yet however, as first he felt the need to concentrate, to consider his thoughts and to prepare his mind before body in this case. That there were other elements he could control, he was almost certain, but finding out what and how was the problem. In the way that Ignitus taught him how to fly, he was rather sure that it atleast meant he had some control of wind like Cynder did, and he could just feel the tinge of some sort of untapped elemental control whenever he took flight. Although perhaps he simply over-thought it, as that would mean other dragons also have that potential element at their disposal. But was that such a farfetched thought? Cynder could control multiple elements, although he wondered if her exposure to Convexity had something to do with it, Malefor's corruption somehow transferring aspects of a purple dragon's power. But perhaps a purple dragon's power isn't the ability to use multiple elements, but rather the proficiency to do so?

Questions for another time. He shook his head and refocused himself, but on what he wasn't sure. Spyro didn't feel particularly inspired to try and work with wind. Staring at the ground, he clicked his claws against the stone floor in thought. He wanted to break ground in something completely new to him. Tracing his shadow with his eyes, he considered, _If not wind...hm, feels like it's...just right in front of-...oh. Oh._

* * *

This would require some assistance. The purple dragon waited patiently in the halls that evening. It had taken awhile for openings in their schedules to coincide that day, but it would be a wait well worth it. In all truth, he had been searching for more opportunities to spend time together, but this particular idea had yet to cross his mind until that point.

In time, a black dragoness emerged from her room, "Alright, that should do it for the day. What did you need, Spyro?"

"Cynder, would you mind being my mentor for a bit?" he asked of her.

She tilted her head at his request, "Er...sure? I'm not sure what I could teach you though. Normally we just spar. What do you have in mind?"

As he thought about it, he reflexively pawed at the ground, "Well I thought...perhaps you could try and teach me your shadow element."

Cynder leaned her head back in surprise for a moment, "Oh!...I...Spyro, are you Able to use shadow?"

Shrugging in response, he simply said, "I don't know. I've never tried before. Wouldn't hurt to try though, right? Maybe I could teach you an element in return, even."

"I don't know...are you sure it works that way?" she said, brow raised skeptically. "I would have thought the elements are more set in stone than that."

"You mean like how you have five elements?"

"Five? I only have four. Shadow, wind, poison, and fear."

With a raised claw pointed to her, he added, "And fire."

"Uh...Spyro. I don't have fire." she chuckled dismissively.

"Didn't you breath fire whenever we fought the first time? I could have sworn you did."

Her smile slowly disappeared as her eyes widened in realization, "...You...you're right! Although, are you sure it wasn't just my shadow flame?"

"...Shadow...Flaaame?" he emphasized with an ever growing grin.

"Ok now you're just being cheeky." she said as she walked past him, lightly patting his cheek with the tip of her tail.

The two followed the hall to the training room, trainer with trainee in tow. With some luck, the room was empty and free for their use with no sign of them being interrupted any time soon. Leaving a satchel of spirit gems at the edge of the room, Spyro stepped to the center with her, ready to begin. "So how does this work? What is shadow like?"

"It's...empty." Cynder began. "Not a lonely kind of empty, but physical. Not as if something is missing, but...as if there's nothing there at all. As if you're not there. Unlike other elements, you don't just project it. You become it. And you don't really control or command it...you submit to it."

"...That sounds dark." Spyro unwittingly said.

"Of course it is. It's shadow, silly." she laughed. While he sat, she began to slowly walk around him, "But it's not bad. You're not gone, rather you're just...observing. Stalking." Then, directly behind him, she whispered to his ear, "Waiting. For that right moment." When he turned to see her though, she was nowhere to be found, but her shadow was left behind, molding with his own. Then as if from straight out of the floor, she jumped up and was physical once more. Done with the initial exposition, she then began to instruct him, "To start, let's try having you lie on your back."

"Er...alright then." Spyro reluctantly obeyed, easing down to his backside, wings splayed out to the sides.

"Good. I thought it best if you took a more...submissive position."

"Yes ma'am." he responded all too happily, getting a snicker from her.

Beginning to pace around him, the black dragoness gave instructions, "Now...empty your thoughts, what you feel, as if even your body itself is empty. Like you're in a void. Let yourself...slip back, down into your own shadow. Disappear from the world. Let slip your last breath. And the-..." Cynder stopped in her tracks. Eyes watering, she couldn't help but stare at the sight before her but tried her best to not make a sound in the process.

"It feels...cold...dark." Spyro said, muzzle poking up from the ground. He wasn't in his shadow though. Somehow in trying to sink himself into his shadow, he had instead invoked his earth element and had just covered himself in dirt and debris.

"We're going to have to work on this a bit…" Cynder managed to say without laughing. "If only Sparx could see this…"

* * *

It had taken a few days for any sign of progress to even begin to show. Most elements he hadn't truly been taught in their initial discovery however, as most of them came by accident while out on his journeys. Given this, it seemed as if the time he needed to learn was outright disgraceful, but to gain an affinity of something within days rather than the extensive work others required was a true testament to the ability of a purple dragon.

In the training hall once again, Spyro and Cynder continued their attempts to see if he had the aptitude for the shadow element. Patiently she stood by his side as he gathered his thoughts, watching and letting him go at his own pace. "Sorry if this isn't going as well as you had hoped, Spyro…" she apologized. "I guess I'm not the best teacher when it comes to elements."

"Nonsense, you've been wonderful. Ancestors know I'm just thick-skulled as of late."

"If you'd like, I'm sure we can find a proper teacher. I know there's a few dragons who have picked up shadow as an element."

Shaking his head in protest, Spyro insisted, "Nope! That won't be necessary, you're doing just fine." With a shift in his tone, he then added, "Besides...we've gotten to spend a fair bit of time together as a result, haven't we? I'd rather fail with you than succeed without you."

"Aww, that's sweet!" she said in an over-appreciative tone. "When we die a horrible death because you couldn't use something I failed to teach you, it'll be the thought that counts!" The sarcasm was palpable. Nevertheless, both laughed from her dark humor.

"Alright...I think I'm close to getting it. I'm feeling good about this one." Spyro told her after a few more moments of thought.

"Okay then…" Pacing around him again, Cynder spoke, "Consider the times you had to wait and watch. Bide and Brood. Empty your essence, and become an observer from the shadows."

Spyro knew just the experience to recall on. Three years gone in that accursed crystal. Perhaps that was why he had a hard time with shadow, the apprehension that came with being paired to such an experience, but he knew that feeling. Instead of being frozen in a crystal however, this was his own shadow he would watch from, of his own accord and to end when he saw fit rather than years later. With that, he managed to shed his apprehension and relaxed.

It was just...slight. The ceiling seemed to be farther away. He felt closer to the ground. Focus secure, his eyes glazed as his thoughts became more pointed to his objective. Meanwhile at his side, a hopeful spark showed in Cynder's eyes as she saw his shadow energy begin to manifest. With each step she took around him, she lowered into the ground as if stepping down into a pool. Shoulder deep into the 'pool' of her shadow, she stopped beside him, raising a paw and lightly placing it on his chest. Whispering encouragement into his ear, she gently pulled down on his chest. His shadow rippled with resistance at first, but quickly accepted her influence and he began to sink further. Slowly, softly, he drew further into his shadow at the beckoning of his partner.

In his concentration his eyes had closed, but when he began to feel Cynder's touch leave him, they eased back open. Initially he thought he had made an error as he still saw the training room, but then he noticed there seemed to be a strange appearance to it, as if he were looking at it through glass. In fact, the way his claws tapped against the glass and the way he stood, it almost felt as if he were in a different place altogether, inverted so that the training room was now upside down and below his feet. When he turned to the presence he felt near him, he saw his partner sitting there beaming, perhaps the happiest he had ever seen her. She didn't quite seem solid in appearance, but not anything else either. Each movement sent ripples through her, but as he looked down he found himself to share the same attributes.

"Welcome to the shadows, Spyro." Cynder cooed as she approached him. "You finally did it. And a full shadow walk at that. I could only meld into my shadow at first, but you managed to fully submerge on your first success. Well done." she continued to purr her praise to him.

The purple dragon simply shrugged and returned the favor, "I told you you're a good teacher, didn't I?"

"Oh shush." Stepping forward, she leaned in to nuzzle him, but as their muzzles would have brushed together, they instead passed through. Though it was only brief, an intense sensation washed over them as their essences mingled. The shock of it pulled each away from the other, not from pain but just surprise. It felt...

"What was that?" Spyro asked warily.

"I-I'm...not sure. I've never interacted with anyone Inside the shadows before…" she answered, eyes darting away and back. To her surprise, Spyro stepped forward to where he was once more. Though hesitant, she also returned, and slowly she touched the tip of her muzzle to his.

Intimate. It was like a new kind of intimacy, one scarcely felt in the physical world. Touch didn't quite come in the shadows the same way that it did physically. Rather than being a solid point or area with either contact or no contact, it seemed to bloom from the space it occurred, sending ripples throughout their bodies that they could distinctly identify as coming from one another's essence. A sensation nigh indescribable, it was entirely new to them, and they savored the moment while it lasted, but ceased for the time being lest it spoil them. There would be more appropriate times to...delve into that sort of thing.

Pulling back from one another, Spyro asked a question of a certain importance, "So...how do we get out of here?"

"Simple." Cynder said. "Just release. No need to be gentle, just let go of the shadows and you'll be ejected back through. Make sure to look where you're going to pop out though." On that note, she demonstrated and leaped up, diving through the ground as if it were water. Through the clear ground, he saw her standing there in the training room, like a reflection at his feet.

As she said, the return was easy. Following in her lead, he leapt up and let go of his energy, passing effortlessly through and back to the training room. Despite slight disorientation from the sudden shift of his momentum, he managed to land on his feet. The black dragoness padded around and rubbed against his side, nudging him happily and giving a lick on the bridge of his muzzle as she offered one last congratulatory purr.

"I can't wait until you've grown proficient with it." a sly grin crossed her face.

"...We're going to have a little too much fun in the shadows, aren't we?"

"Ohhh definitely…"


	2. Chapter 2

Watching, waiting, the time to strike approached ever closer. Though that time came in the evening, the exact moment was irrelevant until that very moment it came. The shadows wait as long as they need, always watching, always from places unseen. Those who would hide in them would learn to adopt this into their own being, lest they fall from the shadow's favor and be rejected.

One dragon of purple scales knew this well. Despite having only become a disciple of the shadows in recent days, Spyro's ingrained warrior's instinct and sharpened mind had worked to his favor as patience was as a tall pillar among his virtues. Since his first experience with Cynder, his attunement to the shadows had only grown and he found himself able to integrate with them with increasing ease as he continued his practice. In fact, once he found that the shadows were not bound by certain rules, he began to push himself to see what was possible with them and found that he could go up the walls and even to the ceiling with a certain amount of concentration, which is where he currently found himself.

Directly above the doorway in Cynder's room, Spyro's shadow clung in wait. He knew his target was close by as he had seen her just prior, but apparently she still had things to do before coming back as he found himself waiting a bit longer than expected. Regardless it would work to his favor if for no other reason than to give him extra endurance training, seeing how long he could maintain his position.

Finally the time came when she entered, having finished her rounds for the day. Dropping off a satchel near the door, she took a glance and saw something on a nearby table that wasn't there before. As she went to investigate, his shadow quietly followed above her. Being in a full shadow walk, he was unsure if his claws would make any sound on touching whatever could be considered the ground, but instinctively he was careful in slowly lowering each claw all the same to make sure to not to alert her to his presence. When she came to a stop at the table, she began to read the note he had left, and that was when he began to make his move.

Nose first, he slowly began to leave his shadow. Immediately he began to feel the pull of gravity upon him, the pulling force magnifying with each part that left the shadows, but he couldn't exit too fast. His shadow was his anchor, holding him to the ceiling as he continued to emerge, straining to maintain concentration in the balancing act of only being partially submerged in shadow while gravity threatened to yank him out of it. Downward he gradually extended himself to reach as far as he could until he was hanging from the ceiling by his toes and the tip of his tail. With a short stretch, that was just far enough.

Spyro was not the best of writers. At least, not the best in terms of legibility, but he Was raised in a swamp, so she couldn't blame him if his access to writing implements and practice thereof was...limited. Not to be blamed on the part of his parents though, they were good dragonflies and meant only the absolute best. Thankfully, this note was simple enough to be easily read with only three words and a heart squiggled beside them.

 _I love you~_

Right as she started to set the note back down, Spyro planted a light kiss right on top of her head. Cynder snapped her head straight up just in time to see the purple dragon rapidly attempt a retreat back into his shadow. In his rush to return to the dark, he inadvertently tried to force his re-entry and instead was rejected and ejected from the shadow entirely, promptly falling down right on top of Cynder with a yelp from both of them.

"...Bag of apes, I thought I had that down." Spyro said as he rolled off Cynder. "You alright?"

Not really hurt so much as caught off guard, Cynder chuckled, "Yeah, I'm fine. Tried to force your way back into the shadows, didn't you?"

"Eyyyup." he confessed. "Doesn't work too well."

"Nnnope." she mimicked his tone. Back to her feet, Cynder padded over to a large cushion at the corner of her room, settling into the thoroughly-worn hollow of it. "So how was your day?"

"Fairly good. I'll have some training with Volteer tomorrow again. He had some time to help me with focus and shadow training." Spyro answered.

"Volteer? Helping with focus, let alone shadow training?" she laughed at the very thought. "Somehow I have a hard time picturing any of that. Is this the same Volteer?"

The purple dragon shared her amusement, "Hard to believe, but what he lacks in practice he more than makes up for in teaching theory. He can be a good side-mentor for things beyond his ability once he knows the concept. And it helps to learn how to understand Volteer-speak."

"So his mile-a-minute speak doesn't interfere?" Cynder skeptically queried.

"Well...you could say it was part of the focus training. He's pretty self-aware. You'd be surprised how quick you learn to focus when you hang upside down and he decides to see how fast he can recite the history of the past twenty years of Dragon-Mole relations. And then quiz you on it afterwards."

The black dragoness stared at him wide-eyed. "You poor dragon. And here I thought our soldiers had it rough." she remarked with sarcastic sympathy.

"Oh I'm just. So. Tired." he played along to the tune of her humor, approaching her as she scooted around to make room for him on the cushion.

She snickered, "Oh come on over here, you dork."

Settling down onto the soft, plush bedding, the two dragons curled up together. There wasn't much better a way to wind down the day than to snuggle up and relax with one another with some nice peace and quiet. Their tails happily intertwined as they nuzzled around each other, only stopping briefly for Cynder to preen a scale on Spyro's shoulder. In between tongue-tip licks on the muzzle, Spyro laid his wing over and pulled close to his black dragoness partner, adjusting to accommodate the increased contact. Underneath his wing, Cynder searched with her paw to find a purple counterpart, meeting suddenly when he found hers first and clutched it softly with his own paw. Satisfied, she sidled up next to him and pressed her chest to his, resting her head just below his. With his love against his chest where he could feel every contented purr rumbling within, he likewise found himself at peace with her.

* * *

"...And that concludes the synopsis of the commercial import and export agreement between the Atlawa and tribes of Avalar in addition to the reason thus to give cause for rejoicing!" the electric guardian ended.

The purple dragon breathed a sigh of relief as the thunderstorm of history and vocabulary finally passed. Once again he found himself hanging upside down by the toes in his shadow, but rather than a more intimate setting, he was in the training room with a pair of boulder-bracers around each wrist pulling down on him. "Quite the informative monologue but if I may be permitted to question an immediately pertinent matter before discussing hypotheses on the agreement's potential positive influence on Warfang…" Spyro said, putting on his best Volteerian-tongue. "...Was the fire really necessary!?" he asked in exasperation, staring at the flames directly below.

"It will be most conducive if you stretch as much as possible, and with more heat, objects expand and thus gain more pliability, which I believe would be of assistance to you in the act of warming up." Looking down at the fire and back up to the hanging dragon, Volteer tacked to the end, "...Although, perhaps I may have been slightly over-ambitious. In either case, that should be an adequate amount of time. Come down when ready."

The moment Spyro released the earth from his wrists, he felt so light that he nearly doubted he would actually fall once he let go from the ceiling. With a short blast of frosty air, he extinguished the fire and flipped down to the ground with his mentor. With whatever traces of energy that hadn't been sucked out and dried up, he managed to reach for and take the last of the spirit gems he had brought along.

"Look on the bright side. At least he hasn't made you do tail curl-ups yet." a black dragon chuckled from beside the guardian.

"Don't give him ideas, Vin!" Spyro nervously shot back, flashing a glance at Volteer in hopes that he showed no reaction to the idea.

"No need to worry, I don't believe that will be necessary for now." Moving on, the guardian spoke, "Although Cynder did admirably in passing on her elemental knowledge, I perhaps wouldn't say she was entirely correct, though not wrong either, perhaps simply showing her young age and lack of articulation and knowledge as a mentor. However, it is not by her own fault and indeed even was helpful despite that as she provided key insight to the lesser seen elements."

"How so?" Spyro dared to prod him on.

"In many respects, much of our control of the elements falls into two categories: projection and integration. Projection in this case refers to the expulsion of the element from the dragon to the target, whilst integration is more akin to the dragon combining with the element itself. Most of what we teach I would say is projection, as it is often the first to be learned and becomes most familiar. Integration usually comes with need for a greater control, but in a most unusual fashion, it seems to be the reverse for shadow as you were taught integration prior to projection, which would be more comparable to the shadow flame she is capable of emitting. Shadow I rather doubt is strictly submissive on the half of the dragon, as that is more often a small trait of integration instead. I would theorize that projection of shadow requires a little more assertion just as projection of any other element."

"Projection and integration represent a certain harmony between dragons and elements. Projection one could consider is where the dragon asserts control, where integration requires that submission. Not complete submission, lest one simply is so passive that they actually do nothing, but rather a respectful admittance of position and yearning for cooperation between dragon and element. By this nature, this tends to be why projection comes first, as the desire to master an element can often be a blinding ambition in the face of true mastery."

The purple dragon spoke up, "What of integration with other elements? Have I been able to do such?"

"Hm...it is difficult ascertain, but perhaps in a few cases. When you encase yourself in a boulder, that is a step in the right direction but is still simply projecting around yourself. Your comet dash is perhaps the closest common example, as you seem to have become quite intimate with fire." Thinking for a moment, Volteer added, "Although, there are two possible examples I would note. If your theory on flight being relevant to the wind element is proven true, then flight could quite easily be integration. Then there is...whatever you did in the core after fighting Malefor, perhaps that was the integration of your power as a purple dragon. That is for you to judge however, as that is something I nor anyone else could teach, only a purple dragon could know that."

Solemnly he nodded, "Fair enough. Now before my warm-up wears off and I need to be roasted again, where does this bring us in training?"

"Why, integration with lightning, of course!"

Spyro squinted, "...Is this going to make me speak faster than I can be understood?"

"Ifyouwantitto." Volteer returned. "Perhaps my first integration coupled with a desire for more gave me a little too much speed and I found myself needing to expand my vocabulary to slow myself down and be understood better."

Spyro rhetorically asked, despite the answer being obvious to anyone who had ever spoken with Volteer, "How'd that work out for you?"

"Ask Cyril." Internally he chuckled at the thought of some of the aggravation he caused the ice guardian. "Vocal shenanigans aside, let's carry on! This will be potentially rather grueling on your energy reserves, which is why I requested your friend's presence."

"Oh you didn't have to, we've got plenty of spirit gems!...Somewhere." Spyro started to say, remembering he emptied the last from his satchel earlier.

"Don't worry, consider it to be my own training." Vin assured him. While Spyro knew by his experience with Cynder that dragons had a minor ability to transfer small amounts of energy, he later found that Vin was somewhat of a practitioner of that ability and even trained it regularly. "Do whatever you feel you need to do and I'll try to keep you topped off on energy." Already he settled himself into position, sitting in a sort of meditative pose with his front paws together.

"Well...if you're alright with it then." Turning to Volteer, he said, "Alright, let's get started then."

After a very brief rehash on the behavioral patterns of lightning, Spyro began to focus on the element, bringing it to a rise within him. The speed of lightning was the point he was directed to focus on. There was a point where lightning came from, and point where it struck, and in this lightning would travel in almost an instant. His eyes trained on a point ahead of him, but he had to hold himself back until the time was right. Integration with lightning would not be the same as with shadow, as the latter required submission, but his current act required a direction to be given, which needed a certain amount of assertion on his part. Balancing the two to have the harmony with and respect of each individual element seemed to grow increasingly daunting, but he stayed the course.

With a thundering crack, he bolted halfway across the room in a single step. Likewise he felt his energy half drained with that single act, though steadily it refilled. At the very moment he began to turn around, the purple dragon no more had time to glance at the other two's direction when he promptly fell over.

Vin blinked and shook his head, then loudly exhaled from his nose, "...Yep, that'll knock the breath out of you. Even I felt a bit of that one."

"It remains ever astounding to see the aptitude of the purple dragon!" Volteer exclaimed. "No doubt his experience with electricity has worked wonders in aiding his understanding, but it always amazes me that it takes him mere minutes to make progress."

"...Should we...go help him?" the black said as he kept looking at the collapsed dragon.

Shaking his head, Volteer told him, "Give him a moment, the first time is a always a brisk venture." Within a few seconds, Spyro began to stir, the guardian returning attention to the purple dragon, "Ah, there we go! Now was that experience not electrifying?"

"Oh it was en-lightning." Spyro answered with flat sarcasm and a masked laugh. "A little bit taxing too. I nearly blacked out and couldn't see either of you."

"Yes, that particular technique will prove to be rather heavy in its demands. You may only ever have energy to use it once or twice without endangering yourself, but with training, your body should become accustomed to the side effects enough to eventually nullify them."

Vin spoke up, "Your body isn't used to moving so fast, plus with having such a sudden stop, it jarred your insides too much and they had a brief shock."

Blinking at the black dragon, Volteer concurred, "More or less that would be the short of it. Your body is tough, but it still has some work needed to be appropriate for such a performance. Continue your efforts and you will be rewarded most graciously by the fruits of your labor."

As his mentor suggested, continue he did. After only a few more attempts, he was at least able to remain standing afterwards. By the tenth try however, he found his ability was beginning to strain and the rushing river of energy that flowed in and through him had reduced to a babbling brook. Only then did he remember and turn to see Vin on the side, still in his meditative position but straining to squeeze out every last drop of energy to give to Spyro.

"Hey uh...h-how about we call it for n-now?" Spyro called, not expecting the involuntary stutter of his tongue.

Vin wordlessly relaxed from his pose, placing one foreleg on the ground only for it to immediately collapse, the black dragon tipping forward and slamming nose first into the ground. Pulling himself back up and rubbing his nose, he decided to verbally answer, "Y-yep, sounds good, let's call it there."

"A wise conclusion. I eagerly await the time we reconvene for further training!" Volteer said to the two of them before departing his own way.

Only when he began to walk did Spyro feel an odd jerking sensation, but to the black dragon it was visibly clear as day. From tail to nose to the tip of his wings, the purple dragon twitched and his muscles spasmed rather strongly. Stepping over to pick up the empty satchel, he tried to steady himself to take it but the more he fought, the more strongly his spasms fought back and kept his body shaking. Laughing that neither was much better off than the other, Vin hobbled over and took the satchel for him. "Come on, a little at a ti-" he ended, nose first on the ground again.

Propping up one against the other, the two dragons managed to shake and shudder themselves down the halls of the temple. Reaching Vin's sleeping quarters first, they separated and made sure neither would immediately collapse again. "I-I think I'll be taking t-tomorrow off from training." the purple dragons stated.

"But we're just getting started, don't you want to do that ten more times?" Vin joked. "Ah, I'll...yeah. I might wander the streets tomorrow. There was a place I wanted to see."

"I'll have to s-see what Cyn's plans are. I'll spend the day with her if possible, might run into you if she wants to head down into the city as well. We'll see."

Turning to stumble his way to bed, Vin called back, "Sounds good, see you later then, Spyro."

"Take care, Vin." Spyro returned. Hopefully the incessant twitching would end in a timely manner. For all he cared, that would probably be the last time he trained with electricity for awhile.

* * *

A/N: I guess I might do a few more. I'm not making any promises though, but we'll see. This time I felt like exploring a little bit more into possible mechanics of the elements and giving my take on them. Given that my main project is at a comparable place in discussing its magic mechanics, I felt this would be a good little exercise while at the same time putting my Spyro mood to use. The next chapter will likely be down in Warfang, we may see some other dragons, but we'll just have to see what I feel like. Until then, hope you enjoyed it!


	3. Chapter 3

"...So here he comes, flying around the corner, and Skabb steps through the door across the hall from my cell. All we see is a train of scavengers with a giant tablecloth draped over them, running through the hall." Spyro sputtered with boisterous laughter. "The look on Skabb's face was priceless, even his birds were at a complete loss for words! They just turned right back around and pretended it never happened. And that's why Sparx stopped pulling pranks on the scavengers."

Around the circle from him, a red, green, and ice-blue dragon all had a hearty chuckle, the red particularly so and finding himself nearly on the floor beside himself. "Hot dang, your brother's a riot! He's got some spunk for a dragonfly."

"Heh, thanks Torin." Spyro nodded to him. "He's an odd one, but I wouldn't trade him for anything."

"He's a keeper, that's for sure!" piped up the bubbly, slightly shorter green dragon. "What do you think Cyndy?"

Leaned against the purple dragon in the dimly lit corner of the tavern, one would almost miss the black dragon had it not been for her bright green-blue eyes. With the lighting, her scales blended seamlessly with her surroundings, but she was ever present. "Ohhh...I'd say he grew on me, Fera. We came to a greater understanding once he realized the depth of pranks one can pull with certain elements. I think he's still a bit afraid of his own shadow, to be honest."

Fera snickered in response, "A lil back 'n forth between you two, eh? Sounds like fun to me!"

"I'm a little interested in a certain spicy pair." the tall and slender ice-blue dragon spoke next. "How about it? I heard things have been getting a little 'SpyCy' between you two. What's this about personal training sessions?"

While the purple and black dragon shared a minor blush, Torin stepped in with half laughter and half criticism, "Issandra you can't just ask people if they've been bangin'!" Blushes intensified.

"I wasn't referring to their night activities, I'll have you know!...Yet." Clearing her throat, she continued, "Anyways, have you made anything official yet? Any plans perhaps?"

With subsiding awkwardness, Spyro answered in earnest, "Not yet, we're taking it slow and easy for now. I mentioned possibly moving out to a more quiet part of Avalar if we decide to raise any younglings, but with that only a few minutes flight away, we may just stay in Warfang regardless." Gesturing a claw to Torin and Issandra, he returned, "What about you two?"

"Twenty eggs before the year is out!" Torin gleefully answered, promptly getting whacked on the back of his head.

The white-blue dragon corrected him but smiled, "Two!...And not just yet, I'd like to savor a few years first before I'm run myself ragged trying to keep up with the three of them."

"Three?" Fera noted.

"I'm almost certain Torin will be leading them as the head trouble-maker." Issandra clarified, getting chuckles all around. "A shame Vin is taken, I think you and he would make quite the cute couple."

Shrugging, the green dragon remarked, "He's more of a big brother to me."

"Ah, but what was that he called you that flustered you so? A 'short stack,' whatever that is?" Issandra commented, getting a snort from the red dragon.

Spyro took the brief pause as an opportunity to jump in, "Where is he, anyway? I was going to ask if he was available to pick back up on training tomorrow."

Fera quickly responded, "I saw him down by the crafts quarters watching one of the blacksmiths work. As focused as he looked, he might still be there."

Both the purple and black dragon stood up in succession, the former nodding, "Thanks Fera, I think we'll go see if we can catch him. It was good to see you guys!"

With that, each bade the other fare well as the group split up, Spyro and Cynder leaving the tavern in upper Warfang. Taking to the sky, the two dragons set a heading for the lower city, down to the East Gate where most inbound cargo came into the city. Near that gate resided the crafts quarters, keeping in close proximity to all the goods and supplies passing through.

In an open square of the crafts quarters, the two dragons landed. Around them in the hustle and bustle were mostly moles, but among them were a surprisingly modest number of dragons as well as a few llamas. Passing through, they crossed all manner of workshops, be it wood, stone, metal, gems, or cloth. There was even one which made cloth garments for dragonkind, though their creations were more of a decorative kind than anything standard since dragons naturally preserved their dignity. Not to mention there was only so much one could do when the being in question required full, absolute mobility and minimum weight or drag for aerial purposes.

It wasn't long before they found the blacksmith and black dragon in question. Sitting at the side of the workshop, Vin stared in awe and fascination at the work before him. Inside the open-walled shop, one green and one yellow dragon worked tirelessly with metal. He only barely managed to avert his eyes as he sensed Spyro and Cynder approaching behind, turning just enough to meet them.

"Hey Cynder, Spyro." the black dragon nodded.

"What's going on here? You seem quite intrigued by all this." Cynder asked, pointing out his interest.

"It's amazing...these two are using techniques my homeland has never even heard of, much less conceived!" Stopping before he got ahead of himself, he added before continuing, "Before I was a soldier, I was planning on becoming a blacksmith, you see. There's not many craftsdragons and almost no moles back home, so even the most basic of metalworkers could be of help." Returning his gaze to the work before them, he explained, "Rather than conventional tools, the earth dragon there uses his element to shape and compress the metal and remove impurities, but what's really interesting is the electric dragon's work. He dips the metal pieces into this liquid and passes electricity through it, and it somehow plates the piece with another type of metal. They claim it makes the metal resistant to corrosion, and if that's true, that could be a useful technique to remember to bring back home." Shifting back to them, he passed the question, "What of you two? Any off-duty hobbies or non-military jobs?"

Spyro and Cynder looked to each other as they both came up blank at first. After a moment, the purple dragon answered first, "I'm...not really sure to be honest. I think we both were expecting a more traditional dragon life ahead of us. I suppose being a hunter would always be a natural option."

"Likewise. I just don't see myself as much of a craftsdragon." Cynder responded in turn.

Spyro glanced to her, "Really? I was sure I could imagine you taking up Atlawan basket weaving."

The black dragoness snorted and bumped him with her hip. "It's just never been a consideration, really. There was never a time or opportunity."

Concurring with her, the purple said, "It's...all we've really known for awhile." Though there was a tinge of distress on the tip of his tongue, he then shook it off. "Plus with my duties as a purple dragon, and with her background experience, I guess there's just no escaping it any time soon."

Vin simply nodded his acknowledgement, "Once a warrior's blood burns, it's hard to put it out. Maybe someday." Glancing to their direction, he quietly added, "...I've heard Atlawan basket weaving is quite therapeutic."

Cynder's attention snapped and she suddenly whispered to Spyro, the purple dragon quickly speaking back up, "...Oh, right! Hey Vin, are you good for more training tomorrow?"

Nodding again, the black dragon answered, "Any time you're ready. We're not going to electrocute ourselves again are we?"

"...Probably not. No promises!" Spyro replied with a smug half-grin. "Cynder and I are going to head off somewhere and enjoy the rest of the day to ourselves, so I may not see you until tomorrow."

"Alright, fare well till then." Vin bade them before locking his attention back firmly to the work before him.

With eyes turned back to the sky, the purple and black pair took off once more, making for one of the hills towards the back behind the city. Finding a nice and shady spot well-covered by trees, the two dragons settled into the soft grass. From there they had quite the view, this vista providing them with the whole of the cityscape, the fields extending forth from Warfang, and a pleasant horizon to boot.

Once they found just the right spot and position, Cynder signaled her approval with an exhaling coo, Spyro reciprocating with his own rumble that grew deeper by the day. Lying snugly beside one another, their tails flicked teasingly to each in turn, heads turned and passing glances to one another as snickers and giggles escaped. Whatever little mind game they played that only they knew of, it brought them thorough contentment.

When the excitement came to a low point, Cynder took the opportunity to speak, "...So what do you think about what he said?"

"About what?"

"You know, if we had any other interests, be it in work or otherwise." she elaborated. "If I didn't recognize that he was being earnest, I would have thought that to be a pretty audacious question to ask."

Shaking his head, Spyro responded, "I think I get what he was doing, he was just saying we should have an outlet." Briefly passing a look to Cynder, he said, "We all know how restless we can be if we're constantly preparing for conflict. Now that the war is over and peace has settled in, there's only really a need for a standard town guard. And now that we have time, there's no use in spending it all waiting for the next fight or the next war. That gets a liiiittle stressful."

A small smile spread across Cynder's face, "I guess we could lighten up a bit. We're going to be rather boring parents as it is."

Spyro gave a light laugh, "Heh, yeah." Pausing in thought, a grin creaked across his face, "...So you Are going to be an Atlawan basket weaver! Those llamas wil-"

Cynder whacked him on the head with the flat of her tail, "...I'll be an Atlawan potter, I'll have you know." Jokes aside, the black dragoness continued, "Where are you thinking about living? I would have thought the swamp would have crossed your mind at some point."

"It has. I miss it often but I think I'll be wanted here too much to make it my home again, at least in the foreseeable future. Once Terrador finds a suitable fire guardian candidate and Cyril gets done doing...whatever he's doing with the city council, I get the feeling my purple dragon duties are going to expand. Warfang is fine for now though, and it's been exciting to live among other dragons."

"It may be a good idea for the children too." Cynder added. "If we need any help, we'll be as close as we can be, and I've heard there are some rather exceptional dragonesses who can help with raising kids."

"Well, I for one…" he said, rolling in her direction. Taking ahold of her, he hefted himself and rolled the other way, situating himself on his back with her laying on top of him. Cynder yelped playfully at the sudden move, cocking her head back and looking at him as they resettled. The purple dragon continued, "...think you'll be a great mother."

"I...don't know. I haven't ever had any experience with younglings...or at least, not pleasant experiences…" she shuddered as she brushed the thought aside, taking in a deep breath.

Spyro nudged her, "Ohhh, come now. I don't think my parents had experience with raising a kid one hundred times their size and a different species, and look how I turned out!"

The black dragoness snorted as she eyed down his grinning face, "Yeah, your scales are a mess of a morning and you walk through mud without a second thought. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were raised in a swamp."

"Ok ok, we'll make sure they preen their scales twice a day." he chuckled in response. "We'll be fine, Cyn. They'll be fine. And even better, we might just get to give them the more peaceful life that we didn't get to have. They won't have to grow up knowing of war."

"And that...will be the best part." Cynder concurred. "Maybe they'll get to live a normal, peaceful life." Happily she hummed as she looked forward, taking in the horizon before snuggling her head down and against Spyro's. "Just maybe...for once, everything will be ok."

* * *

A/N: Alright, we've got some socialization, some world-building, and some talk of good ol' domestic life. A few Random McDraggos showed up, though most likely they won't pop up again. Vin is largely the only recurring OC since I'll be having him as a sort of training partner for Spyro. I might have a couple more of these in me, but it's hard to say right now as I'm desperately trying to make significant progress in my own original works. I do have in mind what the next couple will be, which is a return to the training room with more experimentation and some more intimate moments with Cynder. In either case, not much else to say. Hope you enjoy it~


	4. Chapter 4

With enduring patience, Spyro waited in the empty training hall. Had he not been expecting company, he would have already begun toying with a few waves of training dummies, but in this case he deemed it best to conserve his energy. Finally the silence broke as one of the two guardians he expected had arrived.

"Good morning, Cyril." Spyro greeted the approaching ice guardian.

"And a fair morning to you, young Spyro." he returned with a most dignified air.

Noting the lack of the other guardian expected, Spyro asked, "Where's Volteer?"

"Ah, our comrade found himself unable to come at this time." Continuing under his breath, Cyril added, "Praise the ancestors."

"I suppose the council is holding him up again?"

Nodding, the guardian answered, "Mmm, indeed. I'm afraid you'll likely be on your own today, feel free to spend it how you wish. It seems as if the council is abuzz these days, issuing one decree after another. I've hardly felt so optimistic about our race's return to glory, but even I must say they are moving things along rather hastily, recklessly even." Shaking his head, he then remarked, "Still. Industrious hands must not be wasted while the council is of one accord. Ancestors know that the moment they find one tiny thing to squabble over, there won't be an inch of progress for weeks to come. Paved roads stretching across the realms, trade agreements thrown about without abandon, rapid expansion and resettlement of land once taken by Malefor's forces, it's only a matter of time before someone upsets an age-old agreement or settles on land claimed by another faction. However, those bridges will be crossed once we arrive and, frankly, once they're built. Given our current speed, that will be soon both figuratively and literally." A thought occurred to Cyril and finally he digressed from politics, "By the way, have you met Terrador's latest candidate?"

Spyro shook his head, "I've only heard he's been looking at someone, but I haven't heard the details. Who is it?"

"A young chap from the war, one of Ignitus's own lieutenants. The boy's just about as...about as old as we were…" Cyril began to slow down as he reminisced of somber memories. "There are the usual formalities to undergo and training for the position, but I believe that he will grow to be just the right successor for our dearly beloved Ignitus." Catching himself before he continued further, the ice guardian ended, "I'm afraid I've tarried long enough, however. Spend your day wisely, young purple dragon."

"Farewell then, Cyril." Spyro bade him as he returned from whence he came.

Internally, the purple dragon welled up with glee at the sudden free time, knowing that today was also a free day for Cynder. Although despite that, he already had gotten into the mind for training at the time. Fortunately for him, he already had a few plans for tying the two together. A short time and a run down the hall and back later, Spyro re-entered the training room with the black dragoness in tow.

"Alright Spyro, what are you up to now?" Cynder asked with a smirk, knowing he had some specific plan. "Forget how to fight, or are you just looking for an excuse to get me into the shadows with you?"

"Do I need an excuse for that?" he playfully responded.

Walking past him, she swept her wing against his side and said coyly, "No, but it makes it more entertaining for me." After letting out a quick giggle, she then spoke more serious, "But really though, what's up?"

"I'm…" Spyro drew out his first words, "...going to help you...breath fire."

Both of Cynder's eyebrows raised, "...Oh." At first she wasn't quite sure how to react, but simply went along with it, "I...guess we can give it a try. I'm still a bit skeptical, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt anything."

With a satisfied grin, he began to go over the characteristics and nature of fire, what to compare it to, and anything else he could think of. "Even though it was a different form of you, your body may remember the feeling of having fire once within it to breathe."

"But...how will I know what that feels like?" Cynder said, putting emphasis on the 'I' to differentiate. "Just because my body will, it doesn't mean I myself will know it."

"Well...then I'll just show you." the purple dragon simply said.

"And...how do you propose you do that?"

Reflexively he grinned and spoke, "Like so." Visage returning more serious, he began to step towards her.

Curiously, Cynder narrowed her eyes as she watched him, but then they slowly widened as he continued approaching, right up to her. Slowly he pressed his chest firmly against hers, their noses barely a hair apart. She continued to watch him as he kept his own eyes closed with focus, concentrating on the energy within him. Steadily, warmth began to grow in his chest and bloomed into a burning sensation, but not one of pain or even discomfort. Through their intimate contact, she felt this through him, the burning pressure that his body contained within his chest, the sweltering air pouring through his nostrils as he breathed. Each one of those breaths she felt upon her scales, and there she knew what it was she was supposed to feel. Her eyes fluttered as his warm breaths and the pressing of their chests together began to overtake her.

"Take this feeling, let it enter into you...feel its warmth inside you. Feel i-...Cynder?" Spyro cut himself off as he sensed something, opening his eyes to check on her. What first entered his sight however was a wildly blushing black dragoness with ever widening eyes. Only when he thought about the situation and what he said did he double-back on his words, "Uh...not in that way."

"W-well I think I've got a pretty good idea what that warmth feels like now." she stuttered. As he pulled back, the embarrassment began to transfer to him, at which point she quietly commented, biting her lip, "...You should try being that forward more often."

A smile cracked his face, "I'll keep that in mind." Putting their silliness and awkward flirting aside, the purple dragon continued in his instruction.

* * *

"Passion...love and hate. Wrath...indignation and destruction. Urgency...in dire straights and backed to a corner. By tempestuous emotions such as these, fire stirs, but more is needed to fully call it. It is quick to scorn, quick to rage, an element that is angry...frustrated even. Ignitus once told me that fire is destructive because that is the only reason it is ever called...and in that, it enrages and becomes even moreso. It doesn't require you to know that, but it does require respect, respect that what is done cannot be easily undone and that use of fire must be with a careful and wise mind."

Cynder focused, stance wide and wings flared, tail arced as the natural sway gradually came to a halt with her concentration. Rage is easy to call, everyone knows rage. Get mad at something, huff and puff until your blood boils, there you go. Mixing that with proper focus and other such controlled thoughts was the hard part. Focus itself is her specialty, utilizing the shadows is one of the most focus intensive feats known among the elements. Even her shadow flame leans more towards focus, but it also seems to be of a different nature, if similar still. Flame born of shadows tends to be born of a cold mind. Focused, merciless, constricting. It was little surprise to either of them when the first time she opened her mouth, the embers of shadow flame seeped from the corners of her jaw. Closing her mouth back shut, she shook her head knowingly that it wasn't the right element she called. Indeed, to bear true fire wasn't going to be accomplished easily, but she had the experience and stubbornness to do it.

On the third day of trying, it had become a pride thing. "Well, it was just a thought, we don't really have to keep going if it doesn't seem like it's working." Spyro had brushed it off.

"NO. I'M DOING THIS IF I HAVE TO TURN INTO A BALL OF HATE-INCARNATE." So much for her focus. It wasn't entirely gone however, as she stared wide-eyed at the door ahead. Spyro half worried that if she focused any harder, she'd invent a new form of fire manipulation and burn it down with her eyesight.

At about that time, Vin walked in through the door, then promptly turned around and walked right back out. He didn't know what rustled her scales and he wasn't about to find out.

There was little progress that day.

On the fourth day, after she had figuratively cooled off, Cynder still held the burning embers of that hot frustration. Deep breaths she took in, nostrils flaring as she stood stock still. Sweltering air roiled within her lungs and threatened to scorch her nose as it left and _why did it have to be SO HOT IN THERE_ - _oh_.

That was when she realized the burning in her chest had become more than emotions and dangerously high blood pressure. The air directly from her nostrils billowed before her eyes from the waves of heat. It wasn't quite ready to heed her call, not yet however. Recalling what Spyro told her, she searched for those things that fire responded to. She had showed her want, but it demanded a need, a sense of urgency, before it would submit. _Backed to a wall...a time when I…_ Images flashed through her mind of the time leading to her corruption. Like a spark igniting dry tinder, the flame within came alive.

Now was the time to focus, and so with the same control she exerted over her other elements, she drew it up through her body and ready to project it forward. A tinge of excitement zipped through her, the freedom and unbound feeling of being on the cusp of proving she had even more abilities than thought before, that her limits had yet to be reached. In that moment, the aspect of wind joined her as she opened her maw, and a tongue of fire unravelled and spread forth. Though the flames were thin, that single burst of fire expanded rapidly, filling nearly the entire quarter of the room before her.

Sweet release. She had finally shown that she still had it in her, despite her initial disbelief.

"YYYYYES!" Spyro jumped into the air. "That's my Cynder!" As he strode to her side, he continued his praises. "That was incredible, it was as if you combined your wind breath and made a huge fire! I mean it wasn't quite as dense as fire breath normally is, but-" he shut his mouth as he suddenly felt her press a claw to his lips.

She stared at him, completely devoid of any shown emotion, his line of thought shut down as he waited for whatever came next. For a few seconds, there was nothing...just silence. He glanced down at her claw, then back up to her eyes. Not angry, nor excited, nor anything really. Then with one breath, she pursed her lips and lightly blew, a warm, steamy breath rolling across the top of his muzzle. Her eyes eased up as she blinked, a simple smile crossing her face. Lightly she patted him on the cheek with her tail tip as she turned towards the door, "Thank you for believing in me."

* * *

A/N: Yeah I kinda let this go for a bit. Had it half wrote, then got back to my main project, now I'm kinda back on this for writing just for the fun of it while I once again procrastinate on my original project (You can probably tell where I picked back up at). And because I thought I might as well finish the thoughts I had. There's still a couple more entries I plan to make to this, and I thought since I'm kinda in a spot where I don't want to write what I actually need to be writing, might as well burn through some energy and see where I get. Doesn't help I've also got another side project I decided to start on, probably shouldn't do that. In any case, this is just kinda back to the whole training thing, playing with some theoretical headcanons, Spyro being a dork, etc. Next time, I may do a small part training and attempt more comfy fluff, but we'll just have to see.


	5. Chapter 5

"Hmmm...something's not right here." Cynder's brow furrowed as she observed in thought. She couldn't quite place her claw on it, but there was something about the West Gate's guard that bugged her. From atop the nearby garrison, she kept an eye on the patrols as she attempted to nail down what exactly it was.

"Is something wrong, Mistress Cynder?" a lieutenant dragon asked from behind her. Following her eyes, he too brought his attention to the western gate.

As she finally saw it, she pointed, "Right there. The changing of the guard." Two mixed groups of dragons and moles waved down their relief as it arrived, each set exchanging places and the fresh guards taking their posts.

"Hm...they had their backs turned for quite awhile, didn't they?" he noted.

"That, and they left their post before the others had fully arrived. It's a bit too much of a gap for my taste." the black dragoness added. "Oh and...do you see those ten or so powder kegs for the mole cannons? Can we...move those away from the outer walls? I know a certain dragon who once caused me quite a bit of property damage with those..."

* * *

With just one twitch of the nose, Spyro sneezed every bit of air that a single spasm of his muscles could pull from his lungs, knocking him right onto his haunches.

"Jeez, buddy, you alright?" Sparx buzzed by his head. "Thought you were gonna blow the whole city down with that one."

* * *

"...and I'd Really like to not have to oversee wall reconstruction again." Cynder concluded.

"I'll see to it. I've no idea why that cart of kegs has been left there. The munitions bunker is at least a few streets removed from the wall. I suppose it's likely someone new to the area was pulling it and got lost."

Nodding, Cynder felt his response agreeable, "Thank you lieutenant, I'll let you handle that then." Standing to her feet, she spoke in passing, "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got one more stop on my rounds before I'm done for the day. Alpis is due for officer training soon so I'm going to head down to Grain Storage and show him some pointers with guard management."

Descending to the bottom floor of the same garrison, she found the dragon in question, frosty blue scales and the ripe, youthful demeanor of a growing soldier. If anyone made it through the torturous drill sergeants with their enthusiasm intact...it wouldn't have been him but he'd be a sure second-runner-up. The moment Cynder came through the door, he jumped to his feet and followed, the black dragoness only beckoning once with a tilt of her head.

Grain Storage was clear across the city, over towards the East Gate. Rather than fly the distance however, she chose instead to walk, giving her time to go over various details. His first post as an officer would likely be to manage the guards for a building of his superior's choice, and she knew well that those patrolling the vault holding the city's surplus food would be a prime example. The guards assigned there were of the same caliber and experience as those assigned to the city council itself.

"These are the types of guards you would want to model your own after. There's lesser food vaults spread throughout the city so as to not keep all the eggs in one basket, but this is the primary one that holds half of the surplus, as much as all of the lesser vaults combined. As such, they take their job very seriously. So if you're ever in doubt, they are a quality specimen to study." Cynder explained along the way. "Even the best guards though aren't immune to exhaustion. They can't see everything to begin with, and the longer their shift goes on, the less they can focus on after a point. So your job is going to be to make sure your station has as much coverage and is as efficient as possible, you got it?"

"Yes ma'am!" he eagerly acknowledged with a discipline-tempered tone.

"Now with the war over, there's fewer soldiers which means you'll have to either post them for longer hours, or rotate them more often. If you post long hours, you have more soldiers in reserve, but they'll be exhausted and less effective by the end of it. But if you rotate them too often, you'll be more dependant on having more soldiers and they'll be active more constantly, which can be a problem if something happens and you wind up a few short. So you're going to have to balance those two as well."

The time finally came when they arrived at their destination. The street led them straight to a building that dug into a single-story-high rocky knoll. Two imposing green dragons stood on either side of the gate, of a hefty size for even their kind. There was a faint, almost tangible aura in the air around them, as if their element was only a blink away from coming to their call. Meanwhile Cynder continued approaching with Alpis in tow, now giving pointers about guard attentiveness and sight. As they walked, her eyes remained focused on the guards ahead, continually so until it became unmistakable that they were headed straight to the entrance to the primary Grain Storage vault. At that moment, the guards' attention snapped towards the two, to which she stopped right in her tracks with one wing raised to stop her student as well.

Drawing an imaginary line with her claw, Cynder pointed out, "In this case, this is about how close something can get before a guard's attention kicks in. It will vary a little depending on the surroundings, but among crowded streets and buildings like this, it's usually going to be about engagement distance. Keep that in mind, and always make sure to keep them close enough to help one another. Never underestimate how valuable having a partner is, especially when things start to get dicey, I would know." As she spoke the last bit, her thoughts wandered to that of her own partner, curious to how his day has been.

By the time they began the return trip, she had exhausted most of the advice she could offer. Somewhere halfway back as they reached the central parts of Warfang, she finally released him to return back to the western garrisons. Whether or not he was actually officer material remained to be seen. He seemed to at least pay attention fairly well, but that would be up to his superiors. For Cynder however, there were oddly mixed feelings about that. She was glad to no longer be burdened by those sorts of decisions, but then again, that was what she once excelled at. After all, she once had a major hand in one of the most successful campaigns ever lead across the realms. Considering the circumstances however, that wasn't something to be waved about carelessly.

As she meandered about the city, her thoughts were pushed aside as she passed Warfang's central infirmary, seeing a certain other black dragon just then leaving it. "Vin?" she called out to him questioningly.

Glancing around for the voice, he quickly found her, flicking his wing to wave at her. "Ah, hey Cynder!" The black dragon appeared visibly exhausted, but didn't seem to be hurt, nor did he sound as such.

"What are you doing here? Did Spyro run you two through the wringers again?" she gave a light chuckle as she ended.

"Nah, not today. Tomorrow is probably going to be a doozy though. Volteer wants him to run a gauntlet using only his earth element to move himself." Vin answered, his voice denoting dread while his face showed humor.

 _Oh I'll need to see this._ "I guess it's a good thing he had today off, then. Do you know what he's been up to?" Cynder inquired.

* * *

In a dimly lit tavern, a plate with some twenty fish sat before the purple dragon. As the timer started to tick, Sparx began shouting, "Go! Go! Go! Go!"

* * *

"Can't be anything too bad, he's a responsible individual." Vin shrugged. "I just know Sparx got back from his swamp visit, so I think they were spending time together again."

Gesturing back to the infirmary again, Cynder again asked, "What about you? I didn't expect to see you coming out of there."

"Oh, I volunteer there." he replied. "You remember how you can share energy with another dragon, right? Once every few days I stop by and donate my leftover energy to the patients there. I've got some hefty endurance, so there's plenty to share with some others."

"Ohhh, so that's where you run off to! Does it seem to help them much?" the black dragoness curiously questioned.

"Well it doesn't cure their ailments, and some things are...just too far gone." he noted somberly. "It might ease their pain at best in those cases. Although sometimes it gives them just enough to tough it out and make it another day, and maybe that's all they need to heal. Those simply suffering an injury find the most noticeable benefit, but are the ones who need it the least unless it's a serious incident." For a moment, Cynder stepped forward towards the infirmary, then abruptly stopped as she paused in thought. Taking the hint of her want, Vin went ahead and ushered her forward, offering a brief tour.

It wasn't anything extravagant by far, mostly just functional. At the front was a gathering room of sorts for visitors and workers to organize. Beyond that however they then stepped into a great, open room where most of the patients were kept, most of which were a near even mix of dragons and moles, the moles of which a fair number seemed to be present for injury treatment from construction accidents.

A washed-out scent of blood and illness lingered in the air as the two dragons looked around. Conditions weren't the best, but not for a lack of effort as one could tell the place had been laboriously cleaned on a regular basis. There's just so much one can do with so many sick and afflicted in one place. Adjustable curtains were the primary tool to use as a divider between patients when privacy was requested, but most however were content with at least being able to watch their caretakers continue about their business. Most had some form of bed to rest on, but a few key larger patients had to get by with makeshift bedding to accommodate them. Towards the back rested those who were more infected than injured and a door beyond that held those with the most contagious and dangerous illnesses, but in one corner towards the front was a particular area that seemed kept in far better condition than the rest. In that same corner was where the younger patients were kept.

It was rough to see rotted scales and softening horns on the adults, but thankfully the children fared far better. Most just had bumps on the head and rough patches of scales, some with a stuffy nose, and there was that one kid who found out why not to take that dare from your friends to eat food that's sat out for a week. That cheetah baker down the street makes some good pastries but they don't last forever. One small drake called out to 'Vinny', apparently one he had given some help to recently. The black dragon smiled as he patted his head and ruffled his crest, saying he'd be back tomorrow before he turned and left.

Another section nearby held a combination of the elderly and the remnant of those with war wounds, most of which counted for both of those categories. A notable figure among them was one large dragon whose golden scales had over time paled to a sandy shade. Missing both legs, those who spoke to him occasionally referred to him as the 'Great Wyrm,' but most just called him by his name, Voldrik. After tending to a fellow veteran, a few younger patients gathered around him as he told how he would trap apes in the midst of sandstorms in the deserts and dustlands and call down lightning upon them, and how the lightning would turn the sand into pillars of glass. Perhaps a few details were exaggerated, but Cynder found it interesting all the same. She once wondered why she lost so many apes in sandstorms.

When the two black dragons left, Cynder said to Vin, "You seem to rather like it there. Can't say I blame you though...they almost treat each other like family."

"Yeah, once you get past the smell. They enjoy the company and can always use the help there." Vin answered, gesturing back with his head.

"I may have to visit some time. It would be nice to help in some way that isn't just the usual help with the city's guards."

"You could probably be a pretty handy helper to them." the black dragon said. "You have two elements that have the potential to be pretty amazing tools."

"Oh? Use my wind to blow away the stench?" she scoffed. "I suppose if I practice fire more, I can cauterize wounds."

"No...actually I was referring to poison and fear."

The look she gave him was entirely incredulous, but she was too confused on whether to be offended or to mock the suggestion. "I...beg your pardon?"

"I'm serious." His demeanor showed such, continuing on, "If you could focus your poison control, what if you were able to corrode only certain things? Perhaps if someone were afflicted with some blight, maybe you could rot away whatever was causing it? Or if someone was under intense stress, perhaps if you can give fear, maybe you can just as well take it away? Perhaps you could induce a calming effect on patients who need such." Shrugging to himself, Vin then spoke, "Of course I'm just speculating, but...maybe it's something to look into. Maybe those are only individual sides of other parent elements, something unknown like 'Mind' or 'Body' or some such just to throw a few around. Maybe there's a 'Food' element out there."

The image of a dragon spitting out perfectly baked loaves of bread came to mind, Cynder commenting with a chuckle, "That could be either really funny or...really disgusting."

"Maybe Spyro will discover it some day." Vin offhandedly replied.

* * *

As Spyro shoveled fish into his mouth, Torin joined in across from Sparx, "Go! Go! Go! Go!"

* * *

A/N: Yep, here's another. Just poking around with a few other concepts and ideas, this time focused primarily on Cynder. Here we see a little bit of what sort of stuff she's been up to, along with maybe something she might consider going into later. Thought the cutaways would be a good time to get Sparx in there and show a bit of Spyro giving in to shenanigans for once. Shenanigans he'll probably regret fairly heavily for the rest of the day, but hey, gotta play along once in awhile. Don't know if I'll revisit this chapter's idea much, next may be another hit of training room experimenting or something of the sort. Anyways, there ye go.


End file.
